End-user premises such as residences or other buildings (or parts thereof) can be equipped with various pieces of equipment, including phones, computers, alarm system devices and/or other devices (e.g., television units), which can be used to effect telephone calls, accesses to data network sites (e.g., websites), alarm system communications, and/or other communications (e.g., television signals, etc.).
Communications effected by end-user equipment at a given end-user premise take place over a communication link, such as a metallic twisted-pair cable, a coaxial cable, an optic fiber cable, or a wireless link, which reaches the given end-user premise and connects the end-user equipment to a communications network. In some situations, an ability of the end-user equipment to communicate via the communication link can be disrupted. For example, in some cases, the communication link can be disrupted, for instance, due to a cut or other physical damage inflicted (accidentally or maliciously) to the communication link or to any other condition preventing the communication link from operating normally. In other cases, software and/or hardware (e.g., a modem) of the end-user equipment used by the end-user equipment to effect communications via the communication link can be disrupted, for instance, due to a defective or inoperative component. In such situations, it may no longer be possible for the end-user equipment to effect telephone calls, accesses to data network sites, alarm system communications, and/or other communications via the communication link.
Accordingly, there exists a need for solutions enabling end-user equipment at an end-user premise to effect telephone calls, accesses to data network sites, alarm system communications, and/or other communications when an ability of the end-user equipment to communicate via a communication link connecting the end-user equipment to a communications network is disrupted.